Flood-gate dam or weir.



No. 992,6l9. l Patented F994, 1992..

M.cA9sTAN.|EN. FLOOD GATE DAM 0R WEIR.

(Applicacio med sept. 27, 1900.)

No Model.)

Awb/mns.

UNITEDY vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX OARSTANJEN, OF NUREMBERG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FIRM OF VEREINIGTEMASOHINENFABRIK AUGSBURG UND MASCHINENBAU- GESELLSCHAFT NRNBERG, A.G.,OF NUREMBERG, GERMANY.

FLOOD-GATE DAM OR WEIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,619, dated February4, 1902.

Application iiled September 27,1900'l Serial. No. 31,292. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: o

Be it known that LMAX CARSTANJEN, a subject of the German Emperor,residing at Nuremberg, Germany, have invented Improvements in Flood-GateDams or Weirs, of which the following is a specification.

In streams or rivers liable to strong flows of ice alluvium and having aconsiderable head of water the arrangement of movable dams or barriersoffers peculiar difficulties, as itis impossible to arrange bearings,hinges, or other mechanical parts in the bed of the river. Roller orspar barriers with frames or supportsca'pable of being rotated, movableflood-gate posts, the lower ends of which must be let into foot-stepsfixed in the bed of the river, and other like arrangements are thusrendered useless. The local circumstances do not in most cases allow ofthe division of the total width of such a barrier or flood-gate into anumber of smaller openings, and thus necessitate the use of very largeand heavy closing devices, which are correspondingly cumbrous to move.In addition to their own weight other important resistances, as a rule,oppose the movement of these closing-bodies, which resistances in theapparatus at present employed consist of sliding friction or trunnionfriction, as well as the friction'of ice and solid bodies on the wallsof the closing-body.

This invention has for its object a dam or flood-gate the closing-bodyof which is movable and so formed that even when of extraordinarydimensions t-he resistances to movement are reduced to a minimum andfurther. hinges or other mechanical devices on the bed of the river areentirely avoided. The closing device for this object consists of aroller the diameter of which is about equalvto twice the height of thewater-levelabove the top of the Weir at the point in which it is openedmore particularly for the passage of ice and other solid matters. Whenthe weir is closed,

against'it the friction of ice on the Walls'is entirely obviated.

This improved Weir is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure I is a sectional side view; Fig. II, a plan view ot thearrangement with an inclined plane for the Vroller-track, While Fig. IIIis aside View of the arrangement where the water-level below the Weir isconsiderably lower than that above the Weir.

A roller a extends over the vwhole width of the watercourse and isconstructed, preferably, of strong iron plates, after the mannerof aboiler; but in some circumstances it may be constructed of any othersuitable material-for instance, of cast-iron, cast-steel, or thelike-having a diameter of almost double the height of vthe water-level babove. the solid Weir-face c and capable of being opened when requiredfor the passage of ice. At the highstpo'int of the Weir-face av beam dis arranged, which eXtends across the entire width of the Weir-flow, onwhich the lower face 0f .the -rollervrests to form a tight joint alongthis line.

In order to open the weir, the roller a is rolled away Valong a track ee, which in the present instance is inclined. In order to obtain therolling movement, the circular rolling-surface f at each end of theroller rests on the rolling-track e, while at the same time a toothedring g, mounted beside the rollingsurfaces f, engages with a rack bar h,arranged along the rolling-track in order to guide the roller. Theroller is consequently forced to 'roll up the inclined track c withoutslipping when it is caused to rotate. This rotation of the roller isproduced in the following manner:

A chain-wheel 't' is mounted on each end of the roller a. beside thetoothed ring g, over which chain-wheel a chain 7c is wound, anchored inthe ground at both ends. The chain 7a has been led at first downwardfrom the upper place t near the machine-house n, where it is fastenedwith grappling-irons parallel to the rolling-path e, and is then woundaround the left half of the circumference of cylinder a. Thereupon it isguided again obliqnely upward and around the cylinder m, thenceobliqnely downward and around the cylinder Z, to be wound around theright halt' of the circumference of cylinder ct. The lower end t of thechain has been iinally fastened with grappling-irons in the solid backof the dam. This chainisalso carried around two pulleys Z and fm,arranged at the ends of the rolling-track, the latter of which pulleysis rotated by a driving apparatus provided with a very strongtransmission-gear arranged in an engine-house 1t. Such an engine-housewith suitable driving apparatus is arranged on each of the two ends ofthe Weir, the driving apparatus of both houses being capable of beingoperated from a motor q, arranged in the center of the watercourse on acrosspicce p, which motor drives a cross-shaft fr, running right acrossthe watercourse to each engine-house. This rotation is, as alreadystated, converted into a slow one by means of suitable gearing to thechain-pulley m, and from this by the intermediary of the chain 7a to theroller ct, so that the latter is forced to roll up the track e. Theroller ct may thus be rolled up the track to the highest position a',corresponding to the highest water-level b', in which position noresistance is opposed to the passage of the water. In order to againclose the Weir, the chain is operated in the reverse direction. IVhenthe roller has become immersed to a certain depth, the water penetratesinto the interior of the roller through openings formed in both ends,and thus forms a ballast which prevents the roller from floating andthrough which the Water can flow in and out whenever the dam is openedor closed. It then lies firmly in its lowest position on the solidweirface,while by further straining the chain the rolleris firmlypressed against quadrant-shaped washering-surfaces in the side niches.By means of suitable locking devices it may be retained in this positionand the strain may then be slackened.

The water runs away from the interior of the roller after the weir isclosed, so that there is no danger of its freezing. On the reopening ofthe sluice in similar manner the water Will again temporarily fill theroller and again run out of same automatically when the roller is raisedout of the water.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. III, where the level `sof theWater behind the weir is considerably lower than the waterlevel b aboveit, the rolling-track c for the roller may run in a horizontaldirection, the advantage of which is that when the roller is moved itsown weight has not to be overcome, and thus the resistance to themovement is reduced to a minimum.

I declare that what I claim isl. In combination a iood-gate, a Weir, aroller a, a track extending away from the said weir and upon which theroller is adapted to move, and by which itis supported, and means forpositively moving the roller along' the track, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination in a Hood-gate, a wcir, a roller a, a track extendingaway from the said weir and uponwhich the roller is adapted to move, andby which itis supported, and means for positively moving the roller.along the track, said means consisting of the chain 7textending aronnd apart of the roller having its ends anchored and its intermediate portionpassing around rollersland m, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the Weir, a roller, the tracks e extending away fromthe Weir, and upon which the roller is supported, a rack alongside thetrack, a gear on the roller meshing with the rack and means for movingthe roller along the track, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto" set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

MAX CARSTANJEN.

Witnesses:

ANREAs Strien, OscAn BooK.

